Carpet-beater.



H. D. KEMPTON.

CARPET BEATER..

APPLICATION FILED IAN-26. I917- 1,241,222. Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

A TTORNEY.

HARRISON 5D. KEMPCDON, OF GRBNS'ION, ERHODE ISLAND.

mum-Emma.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 191 '7.

Application filed January 26,1917. "Si'iarNo. 144,744.

To all whom may concern:

'Be it lmown 'thatfl, Emerson D. KEMP- ToN, a 'citi'zcnofi the Un-ited-States of A meric'a, residing at Cran'ston, in the county of Providence and State of'Rhode Blanch-have inventeda new 1 and 'usei ul'Oar et Beateryof which the following is aspeci cation.

My invention relates'to improvements in portable, hand-operated machines for beatmg carpets and ru s forthe purpose of -l1bcrating dust there rom and consists essentially of-a supporting rame 'provided with means to convert the same into atruck b the mereaot of tilting-said frame backwar and equipped with certain peculiar beater elements and with o erating mechanism therefor, all as 'hereinaf ter set forth.

One objectof my invention is to produce a comparatively light and inexpensive, simply constructed and operated, and practicable and efiicient machine, which is both portable and hand operated, for beatingcarpets and rugs as'they lie on the floor, or on the ground if it be preferred to do'the work cute-f doors, and by such beating. liberate the dust and dirt from said ear ets and rugs and so clean them in the most t orough manner.

Another object is to produce a carpet beater of this description that can most readily be converted into and used as a truck, forth moving aboutof carpets, rugs'and any otar object or objects=not too heavy or bulky, and as "readily reestablished in its position as and character of a carpet heater. 1' he feature may 'be utilized to advantage also whenever the machine his moved any apprecisblo distanoe, although said machine is,= so comparatively light that little difliculty is experienced in moving it while in the uprightposition, oreven'in lifting and carrying the machine bodily.

Still another object is to provide such a machine with heating elements so arranged that theymay have a certain amount 'of lateral movement, hence-are ca ableof actually striking, in evgivennum ermf ulsations,moreof1a given areathan would ethe case if said elements were restncted'ito -11nvarvingplsnes of vertical movenient.

ther objects and advantages will ap'pear in the course ofi'the following description.

I attainthe-objectsand secure the advanntages I. of my invention by -the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figu rod *isa rear elevation 'of a carpet beater which embodies a practical form of my invention; Fi .2, a side'elevation of said beater; Fig. 3, a so a side'elevationofsaid heater, but showing the same in position to serveas'a truck, or ready to'be pushed or drawn about on its Wheels, and, Fig. 4, a top'pla'n offlie base of the frame and the beater elementsthe uprights of said frame being in cross section and the operating rods omitted.

Similar reference characters designate similaraparts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment ofthe invention herein disclosed, a supporting frame, for the instrumentalities of the Ib'eater, consists of a base made up of horizontal, parallel, side pieces -1-1-conn'ected by 'a cross pieee'2, and ast'and made up of uprights 3-'3 rising from said base-pieces and terminating at =theiruppe'r ends in hand-l es H; and connected below said hand-lesby a cross rod 5, tlie 'frame asno'w described being assumed to be in itserect position.

Thenpri, hts 3 are attached to the base pieces l'ethe front'endsof the sameyend Wheels or rolls 6 6 are=mounted at the rear ends of said base pieces, at 7-7, said base ieces being slotted at 88 to accommodate said rolls.

Loosely pivoted at 9-9-to the uprights 3, againstthe outer *sidesthereof, are two leg members 10. Normallydhe members orlegs "10 hang against the oute'r faces of-the uprights =3, as bestsho'wn in Fig. 2, but when the frame is tilted backward, in the manner and for'the purpose presently to be more fully explained, said legs swing-on their "pivots 9 clear of said uprights, --except the upper-endsof said-legspof course, or rather the'uprightspaseaway from the major portions oihthe legs, which latter always maintain an approximately vertical position.

The 'uprights fi'are provided above or behind the legs 10, according to the position raeketed at l2 12 rat the: fPGntwnds of the base pieces 1, or at the junctions of the uprights 3 with said base dpieces, 1s a rod 13, and mounted to rock an also for lateral movement on said rod is a plurality of re SlllOl'll; beating elements 14, each conslsting in the present case of a wire bent around the rod and extending in both directions therefrom. That is to say, each element or wire 14 extends both forwardly and rearwardlly from the rod 13, but the forwardly-exten ing portion is long, the same being the part that is applied to the carpet or rug in the beating operation, while the rearwardly-extending portion is short. There are here present six of the wires 14, although their number may vary, and these SIX wires are divided into two groups, of three each, by having their rear ends connected with the two rods 15 arranged parallel with the rod 13. Each rod 15 has flanges 1616 at the ends to prevent said rod and the wires 14 connected therewith from becoming disen gaged. The wires 14 and the rods 15 are loosely connected, so that a wide range of independent, relative movement, lateral and endwise respectively, is permitted thereto. The middle wire 14 of each group is continued rearwardly beyond the rod 15 which assists in forming such. group, such rearwardly-extending part being represented at 17. Spaces 18 may or may not be placed on the rod 13 between the wires 14, and, if such spacers be used, they should not be sufliciently wide to prevent a considerable degree of lateral movement on the part of said wires. The front ends of the rods 14 may be bent over, substantially as represented at 18, so that said ends will not catch in the nap or fiber of the carpet or rug being beaten, or injure such nap or fiber.

The wires 14 are of a size and character being resilient) fits them especially for he purpose for wh b they are used.

In Fig. 3 the upper (forward) terminal portions oi the wires 14 are broken ofi, and n Fig. 4 a corresponding portion of one of such wires, is also broken 01f.

clmirnaleol-in the uprights 3 below the cross rod 5 is a crank-shaft 19. Thereare o oppositely-directed cranks 2-0. in the rant-shaft 19, and a connectingrod 21 exnLlS'fTOI-H each of said cranks to the part 17 0f the wire 14 that'is in the same or approximately the same vertical-plane with the yank. .A piinion$22 is secured on one end oiLflperrank-shaft 19, and mounted on a stnda23, which is set in one oithe uprights 3 above the pinion 22, is a drivin gear 24. The gear 24 intermeshes with t e inion 22, and is provided with a crank han le 25. It is desirable to provide some means for adjusting. thestroke of the heating elements or wires 14 to different thicknesses of carpets and rugs, and such means may be aftorded by making each connecting-rod 21 in two sections and introducing a turnbuckle 26 into the structure, adjacent terminals of such sections being screw-threaded for engagement with said turnbuckle. When the beater is applied to a thin carpet or rug, the turn-buckles 26 are, if necessar adjusted to shorten the connecting- Y'O(S 21, of which said turn-buckles form parts, so that the free front terminal por tions of the wires 14 will be caused to de liver their blows close to the floor or ground, and, when said beater is applied to a thick carpet or rug, said turn-buckles are, if necessary, adjusted to lengthen said connectingrods, so that said terminal portions deliver their blows on a horizontal plane that is above the horizontal plane on which the blows are delivered in the first instance.

In practice, the beater is first placed in upright position on a carpet or rug, and then the operator, standing behind with one or both feet on the cross piece 2, which is also a foot piece, and one hand grasping one of the handles l, to hold the apparatus in posit-ion and stead the same, grasps the crank handle 25, wit the other hand, and revolves the gear 24. The revolving gear 24 causes the pinion 22 to revolve and with it the crank-shaft 19, thus imparting to the wires 14 a vibratory or oscillatory motion, through the medium of the cranks 20, connecting-rods 21, projections 17, and r0ds15. Each connectingrod 21 operates one of the two groups of connected wires 14, and such groups rock on the rod 13 in opposite directions, owing to the relative setting of the cranks 20, so that when the free, front terminals of the wires in one group rise the corresponding terminals of the wires in the other group descend, and vice versa. The action of the machine is more evenly balanced by arranging the-two groups of wires to oscillate in opposite directions simultaneously, than would be the case if they both oscillated simultaneously in the same direction. The central wire 14 in each group, which is directly actuated by the attached connecting-rod 21, carries with it the other two wires 14 in that group, through themedium of the rod 15 which completes said group.

As the wires 14 are vibrated they shift their positions laterally more or less on the rods 13 and on or with the rods 15, this being true of'the outside wires in each group more especially, consequently practically all parts of that portion of the carpet or rug that is under the beating elements are struck by the latter. Thecleaning operation'is, therefore, more thorough than-rt'w'ould-be if the aforesaid elements had no lateral movement. r

.A'fterthat portion ofthe carpet or rug which is under the bee-tin 'elementslias been sufiiciently cleaned, the eater is moved to menace w locate said elements over another portion of said canpet or rug, and gso on until the entire surface' h'as received the necessary attention. when theibcateristo be movednny'eom *sidrable 'distance, it isuisual to grasp the 1 liantlies t'and tilt said truck backward until "it rests'on'the wheelsti, and then to push or Ipnll the: beater along: on i said wheels, someoiwhat after the manner of wheelharrow. In

this *w'aly'the beater canbemoved about very *con'venientlyand-With the expenditure of very little strength.

In the-event'it be desired to convey a car- [pet -or .pileofrugsyforexample, or it might be'one'ormore objects or" articles of a differentcharacter, from one locality to another, the beater is tilted backward and permitted to res't dn the wheelsti 'and the legs 10, as

illustrated in Fig. 3. The truck thus formed is next loaded, then the handles 4 are grasped and elevated until the legs 10 clear the floor or ground, and said truck with its load is pushed"or pnlled to the new locality,

where said truck is again permitted to rest in part on said legs, and the load is removed. When the beater is tilted into truck-forming position, the then upstanding wires 14 or the long portions thereof form a back for the pseudo truck.

Upon tilting the machine into the former or initial position, with the base pieces 1 resting on the floor or ground, said machine is ready again to be operated for beating purposes. Said machine may also be so operated, when in the tilted or turned-down position, by being pushed a gamst a carpet or rug that is hung on a line or otherwise vertically disposed, or against a suspended portiers, as will readily be understood.

It is clearly to be seen that the heating elements, when the beater is disposed as in Fig. 3, will be oscillated, upon rotating the gear 2A, in the same manner as said elements are oscillated when disposed as in the other views.

In turning down the beater the legs it) naturally assume the supporting position shown in Fig. 3, where said legs are in contact with the stops 11 and are held thereby at a slant away from the base pieces 1, which slant is sufficient to prevent said legs from accidentally swinging away from said stops and out of said supporting position. And in turning up the beater the legs naturally assume their inactive position alongside of the uprights.

In practice the crank-shaft is revolved quite rapidly and this produces the desired Whip-like action on the part of the heating elements.

Instead of wire for the beating elements, suitable wooden rods may be used, and the beater frame may be made of either wood as shown, or metal, or of both.

Various changes in the shape size, construction,'and arrangement of some or all of the parts of my beater maybe/made without departing'from the scope of the invention'as defined by the appended claims. What lclaim as'my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a'carpet beater, with a frame comprising a "base and a'stand 'joined to said base at one endof the latter, anti frictiorr means at'the other end ofsaid base, and a supporting inembenarranged to swing from said stand, the construction and arrangement of ;pa1ts being such that said frame can be tilted from a. vertical to a horizontal position onto such anti-friction means, and can be permitted to rest on said 'anti friction means and said supporting member, of bcating elements mounted in said frame, and operating mechanism, ear- Tied by said frame, for said beating elements 2. The combination, in a carpet beater, w 1th a fl'al'fle CO]'I1}')11B1Hga base and a stand connected with said base at one end of the latter, anti-friction means at the other end of said base, legs pivotally attached to said stand, and stops arranged on said stand in the path of said legs when in operative position, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that said frame can be tilted from a vertical to a horizontal position onto said anti-friction means, and can be permitted to rest on said anti-friction means and said legs, of heating elements mounted in said frame, and actuating mechanism, carried by said frame, for said heating elements.

3. The combination, in a carpet beater, with a frame provided with a supporting rod, a plurality of beating elements mounted for oscillatory and lateral movement on said rod, and a rod loosely connecting the rear terminals of said beating elements, of means to oscillate said elements as a group, said means being carried by said frame.

4. The combination, in a carpet beater, with a. frame provided with a supporting rod, a plurality of heating elements mounted for oscillatory and lateral movement on said rod, and rods loosely connecting the rear terminals of said heating elements and dividing said elements into groups, of means adapted to oscillate such groups independently, said means being carried by said frame.

5. The combination, in a carpet beater, with a frame provided with a supporting rod, and equipped with operating mechanism, said mechanism consisting in part of connecting-rods, of a. plurality of heating elements mounted for oscillatory and lateral movement on said rod, and rods loosely connecting the rear terminals of said heating elements and separating said elements into 130 groups each of said connecting-rods operatively engaging one of the beating elements in each group.

6. The combination, in a carpet beater, with a frame provided with a supporting rod, a plurality of beating elements mounted for oscillatory and lateral movement on said rod, and a rod loosely connecting the rear terminals of said beating elements, of mechanism to oscillate said elements as a roup, said mechanism being carried by said rame, and consistin in part of means to vary the stroke of said group of beating elements.

7. The combination, in a carpet beater, with a frame provided with a supporting rod, operating mechanism carried by said frame, said mechanism consisting in part of connecting-rods Which are adjustable as to length, of a plurality of beating elements mounted for oscillatory and lateral movement on said rod, and rods loosely connectmg the rear terminals of said beating ele- Oopiee or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ments and separating them into groups, each of said connecting-rods operatively engaging one of the beating elements in each grou SFlhe combination, in a carpet beater, of a frame consisting of a base made up of side pieces and a connecting foot piece, and of a stand made up of uprights rising from the front ends of said side pieces and a connecting member, Wheels mounted at the rear ends of said side pieces, a rod supported by said frame, a plurality of heating elements mounted on said rod, and projecting beyond said uprights and the adjacent ends of said side pieces, a crank-shaft journaled in said uprights and operatively connected with, said beating elements, and means carried by said uprights to revolve said crank-shaft. HARRISON D. KEMPTON. Witnesses:

F. A. CUTTER, A. C. FAIRBANKS.

"Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0." 

